Throughout his career, Steven Curtis Chapman has tastefully combined his appreciation for down-home country with forward-sounding pop sensibilities. Add to the country and pop a bundle of opportunities for Chapman to flash... more &raquo his guitar wizardry, and you have his 1994 release Heaven in the Real World, one of the more pleasing Christian-music efforts of the decade. The light-hearted "King of the Jungle" and "Dancing with the Dinosaur" are balanced by the more serious and moving "Still Listening" and "Miracle of Mercy." The appealing title track rocks with an urgency that drives Chapman's divine message home. With the best yet to come (1996's Signs of Life), Chapman still stands tall with this quality recording. --Michael Lyttle&laquo less

Synopsis

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Throughout his career, Steven Curtis Chapman has tastefully combined his appreciation for down-home country with forward-sounding pop sensibilities. Add to the country and pop a bundle of opportunities for Chapman to flash his guitar wizardry, and you have his 1994 release Heaven in the Real World, one of the more pleasing Christian-music efforts of the decade. The light-hearted "King of the Jungle" and "Dancing with the Dinosaur" are balanced by the more serious and moving "Still Listening" and "Miracle of Mercy." The appealing title track rocks with an urgency that drives Chapman's divine message home. With the best yet to come (1996's Signs of Life), Chapman still stands tall with this quality recording. --Michael Lyttle

Member CD Reviews

yea...old christian music,if you don't know it alreaedy he's liek a giant in the christian music biz

Tahja B. from DE PERE, WI Reviewed on 11/6/2006...

great christian cd

M L. (BooksGalore) from HOUMA, LA Reviewed on 6/28/2006...

Really good music!

CD Reviews

SCC takes on production chores

Greg Brady | Capital City | 07/08/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I have to believe it's the fact that he has more control over his own sound, but Chapman sounds like he's really having fun making this album and that makes it another step up for him. For the first time, SCC joins with Phil Naish to produce and his voice sounds stronger and he takes more chances with it (and with the music for that matter, including his first genuine rock number).

HIGHLIGHTS:The title tune kicks things off with its call for life change NOW...rather than in a future paradise. ("Where is the hope?/Where is the peace?/That will make this life complete/For every man, woman, boy and girl looking for/Heaven in the real world") Knowing Jesus personally, of course, offers that "real world" peace. A percussive track is the foundation for "King of the Jungle"..the jungle being the "rat race" of modern life. It's Chapman's reminder that "the Lord of the gentle breeze is Lord of the rough and tumble",too. "Dancing with the Dinosaur" celebrates the "old fogey" label placed on those of us who assert traditional morality. ("Right is right and wrong is wrong just like it has been all along....") "Treasure of You" is an electric guitar charged self-esteem boost. ("You are a treasure/Worth more than anything under the sun or the moon/God's greatest treasure/the treasure of you...") "Remember the Chains" urges believers to remember their sinful pasts in order to better appreciate their freedom in Christ. ("Remember your chains/Remember the prison that once held you/before the love of God broke through/Remember the place you were without grace/When you see where you are now, remember your chains and remember your chains are gone..") "Facts are Facts" isn't very deep lyrically (more or less God said it, I believe it, that settles it..) but it's a quality rock-edged rave-up.

LOWS:"The Mountain" is tuneful and "nice" but not especially memorable. SCC sounds remarkably like Dan Hill on "Love and Learn"'s call for marital reconciliation. Again, it's pretty but not really on par with past "love songs" like "I Will be Here" or "Go There with You".

BOTTOM LINE:While I think those saying this is his BEST record are being too generous, (ALL THINGS NEW, SIGNS OF LIFE and DECLARATION are decidedly superior on all levels) Chapman does advance his craft again here and turns in a very solid disc. A must for all Chapman fans and most CCM fans in general will probably enjoy it."

Chapman busts out of his shell

Larry Hehn | Toronto, ON Canada | 10/07/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"At last, Chapman has progressed to the stage where I feel that he has thrown off most of his inhibitions and is really starting to have fun with his music. This album has a higher percentage of upbeat songs than previous releases, with an all-out celebration in tracks like Facts Are Facts and Treasure of You.

Of course, it wouldn't be a Steven Curtis Chapman album without a couple of moving slow songs as well. Offerings like The Mountain, Love and Learn and Remember Your Chains are much more than filler. There are no ordinary songs here - fast or slow, joyful or contemplative, each track is lyrically and musically strong, a pleasure to listen to again and again.

Larry Hehn, author of Get the Prize: Nine Keys for a Life of Victory"

Though it may sound too repetitive, SCC is the best!

Larry Hehn | 09/28/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"SCC's creativity and love for God come through loud and clear on this album, (Like his others). It is very clear that SCC not only writes music for the sake of writing music, he definately writes it "For the Sake of the Call". His creative way of tackling life and the issues in the songs "Heaven in the Real World","Dancing with the Dinasour" and "King of the Jungle" while keeping Christ the center of it all, is great! I immediately fell in love with the songs,"Burn the Ships", "Rememer Your Chains", "Still Listening" and several others! "The Treasure of You" also seems to be one of Jay Bell's (the 2nd baseman for the AZ Diamondbacks) favorites, seeing that he played it as a theme song for one of his reviews at one of his home games! Though I wouldn't say SCC plays Christian country music, the song "The Mountain" does give you sort of a nice, warm, country feeling. I've got alot of CCM artists albums which I like. I also have alot of SCC's albums which I love! But if I had to choose my favorites, this one would have to be one of them!"

This CD is pure heaven

Larry Hehn | 08/21/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Heaven in the real world is one of those albums that you can listen to in the good times or the bad times,when the sun is shining and when its pouring with rain.This is a really great all round album-from really upbeat in songs like Dancing with the Dinosaur and Heaven in the real world to the really intimate songs that you hear God speak so clearly through-SCC in fine form as always.This comes very highly recommened-I have had it for 4 and a half years and I am " Still listening".Get it if you can its BRILLIANT!!!!"